In a statement released Monday afternoon, the Department of Justice said it redacted the transcript to avoid giving the killer a platform for "hateful propaganda" but it had unfortunately become a distraction.

Mateen told the negotiator to tell America to stop bombing Syria and Iraq and that was why he was "out here right now".

The gunman later said he had a vest, describing it as the kind they "used in France".

At about 4:21 am, police removed an air conditioning unit from a Pulse dressing room window to help victims escape.

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Hundreds flock to the memorial every day

Some of those rescued told police the gunman said he was going to put four bomb vests on victims within 15 minutes but no such vests were found.

Members of a swat team stormed the building at about 05:00 local time, exchanging fire with Mateen before he was killed.

During the three-hour stand-off, there was no additional gunfire, police said.

The transcript release comes a day after thousands of people descended on downtown Orlando to remember the victims in a candlelight vigil.